Arbindra Timilsina

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Ph.D. Ecology · University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2020 

His research focuses on greenhouse gas dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems, particularly the production and consumption of CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O in soil–plant systems. Using field studies, experiments, and modeling, he investigates soil–plant interactions to inform climate change mitigation strategies in agriculture and ecosystems. 

Adugna Feyissa Gubena

Postdoctoral Research Associate,  Ph.D. Ecology · University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2020  

He/his

Adugna studies biogeochemical cycling in terrestrial ecosystems, focusing on soil C, N, and P dynamics, C gains and gas losses (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O). His research combines field and laboratory methods, including stable isotopes, eddy covariance, and modeling, to evaluate land management impacts and climate mitigation strategies.

Sneha Bandyopadhyay

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Ph.D. · Indian Institute of Technology Dhanbad, India (2023) 

Her research focuses on ecological restoration, environmental biogeochemistry, and soil science, emphasizing sustainable land management and circular economy approaches. Her doctoral work examined restoration of degraded lands such as coal mine overburden and industrial waste sites, developing methods to evaluate restoration success. She studies how land conversion affects  biogeochemical fluxes to assess the overall potential of bioenergy crops.

Tess Rutstein

Technician II - She/her

Tess’s research interests include environmental sustainability, ecological restoration, and ecophysiology. She focuses on how human behavior influences natural systems and on developing approaches to reduce harmful anthropogenic impacts through interdisciplinary research integrating ecology with chemistry, geology, economics, politics, and social justice. Tess is committed to research that supports a sustainable future in which people and ecosystems can coexist.

Alana Herr

Research Associate - She/her

Alana’s research focuses on environmental sustainability and ecosystem dynamics, with particular interest in soil ecology, soil conservation, and agricultural ecosystems. Her research experience includes projects in disease ecology, freshwater ecosystems, and fire ecology across several labs. In the lab, she studies the environmental impacts of cold-tolerant energycane varieties and evaluates how different residue management strategies affect cane cultivation.

Pritika Neupane

Research Assistant

Pritika’s research focuses on climate change, food security, and sustainable agriculture.In the lab, she studies how restoration practices and soil amendments affect carbon cycling in Texas grasslands, how climate-resilient plant traits influence biogeochemistry in cane ecosystems in the southern U.S., and how utility-scale photovoltaics affect ecosystem services and soil carbon dynamics in rangelands. Her work integrates plant breeding with interdisciplinary research on climate change, sustainable energy, and ecosystem resilience.

Stephanie Plaisance

Field and Lab Specialist

Stephanie’s research focuses on soil biogeochemistry and ecosystem ecology, with a particular interest in human impacts on land and its restoration. She brings field experience in salt marsh systems, oil spill impacts, and agricultural waste (bagasse) applications. In the lab, she contributes to the CABBI project investigating the environmental sustainability of sugarcane using eddy covariance, soil chambers, and biometric methods.

Tanner Claybrook

MS Graduate Research Assistant

Tanner is passionate about land stewardship and soil health, focusing on how grassland restoration supports climate sustainability through soil carbon dynamics. He is currently studying how woody encroachment in grasslands affects long-term carbon sequestration, aiming to understand how practical land management influences C-sequestration.Tanner has experience in private consulting on petroleum remediation and with the Natural Heritage Program at the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. His diverse background in wildlife and environmental remediation informs his current research.

Khushboo

MS Graduate Research Assistant - She/her

Khushboo’s research focuses on soil carbon dynamics and the links between soil health, agricultural practices, and climate. In the lab, she studies the ecological impacts of cold-tolerant sugarcane and alternative residue management. She is passionate about sustainable soil management to mitigate climate change and protect the environment for future generations.

Cole Walton

MS Graduate Research Assistant 

Cole studies how above- and below-ground processes shape plant communities, productivity, and soil health, focusing on agriculture, microbial ecology, and plant ecophysiology. He aims to enhance soil fertility and ecosystem health to benefit both agricultural producers and communities. His work emphasizes restoring degraded landscapes and building resilient ecosystems. Experiences in polluted rangelands, urban construction sites, and contaminated forests have deepened his understanding of soil processes and shaped his bottom-up approach to ecological restoration.

Sunghoon (Daniel) Hong

Field and Lab Specialist (2020-2022) --- PhD graduate Student, Virginia Tech, (2022-current) 

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